Autumn arrived, and the students entering their final year of senior high school felt a bit dejected and nervous.
To boost morale, the school organized a senior high school autumn trip.
The happy part was that it was with Chen Linming’s class.
The less ideal part was that Nong Wanshi ended up in the same group as well.
Xu Xintong thought about how, in her previous life, the four of them had also gathered together starting from this very trip.
That was when they truly started hanging out together and became talkative, close friends.
Xu Xintong knew very well where the school was taking them next, and she roughly remembered the itinerary’s activities.
Beside her, Chen Linming was chattering away, looking very excited.
One moment she pressed against the window to look at the scenery outside, and the next she was tugging at Xu Xintong’s arm, asking questions left and right.
Sitting right behind them were Ye Ruoxi and Nong Wanshi.
A few days earlier, when Ye Ruoxi found her at school, Nong Wanshi had been quite surprised, not expecting that she would really transfer over.
She had thought it was just talk.
She expected even less that Ye Ruoxi would transfer into the same class as Xu Xintong, and that the two of them would seem to grow quite close.
Nong Wanshi thought to herself, gazing blankly at the person sitting in front.
Her heat period seemed to be coming soon.
Maybe she could test the waters.
Beside her, Ye Ruoxi was just getting ready to chat with Nong Wanshi when she turned her head and saw Nong Wanshi staring blankly ahead.
“Wanshi, what are you doing?”
“Why did you start zoning out?”
Nong Wanshi, called back from her wandering thoughts, looked with confusion at Ye Ruoxi, who had called her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just thinking about something.”
With a single glance, Ye Ruoxi knew Nong Wanshi wasn’t thinking about anything serious, just an excuse to fool her.
“Fine, fine.”
“Then think away, I won’t bother you anymore.”
Noticing that Nong Wanshi was a bit out of it, she didn’t feel it right to say anything more.
Ye Ruoxi turned back around, her attention quickly captured by the outside scenery.
Four people: two full of enthusiasm, two absent-minded.
Upon arriving at the amusement park, the teachers let everyone form groups freely to choose the attractions they wanted to play.
“Nong Wanshi, do you want to join us?”
A boy walked up in front of them, without a shred of shyness, even looking a bit smug and confident.
There were some other people nearby jeering, ready to watch the drama unfold.
With a single swift stride, Xu Xintong grabbed Nong Wanshi’s hand, leaving the boy standing in place, completely clueless about what had just happened.
“Sorry, she’s with me.”
“We’ve already formed a group.”
Two sentences, concise and clear, yet the boy remained utterly shocked.
He hadn’t expected the previous rumors to be true, that Xu Xintong and Nong Wanshi were really together.
The moment their hands touched, Nong Wanshi was also taken aback.
At first, she hadn’t known what the boy was going to say, before he could even finish his sentence.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before her eyes, pulling her along in a calm yet somewhat assertive tone.
There was an inexplicable sense of staking a claim.
Chen Linming sensed the unusual vibe. Realizing what was happening, she also grabbed Ye Ruoxi beside her and hurried to catch up with Xu Xintong and the other girl.
This time, Ye Ruoxi was left a bit bewildered.
Why was the person beside her grabbing her hand? Did she even know this person?
The crowd that had just prepared to watch the spectacle didn’t expect the drama to vanish before they even had a chance to enjoy it.
Acting on impulse, Xu Xintong dragged Nong Wanshi away without a second thought.
What she said to the boy also sounded rather unfriendly, making him feel extremely embarrassed.
Actually, the moment Xu Xintong got off the bus, she had seen a boy from their class approaching them.
When the boy spoke up, she instantly remembered that in her previous life, this same boy had tried to team up with Nong Wanshi.
Nong Wanshi found it hard to refuse, and after the two teamed up, Nong Wanshi couldn’t stand it anymore and had to look for Xu Xintong and the others later on.
That boy was just too annoying, making Nong Wanshi very uncomfortable.
Xu Xintong’s brain moved faster than her thoughts, and action took the place of reflection, resulting in the scene just now.
“Ah-Wan, look at you, you’ve got food all over the side of your mouth.”
“Then help me wipe it off.”
The two of them played and joked around like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.
This fleeting image was blurry yet familiar; Nong Wanshi couldn’t recall where she had seen it before, but a wave of warmth welled up in her heart.
“How much longer do you plan on holding my hand?”
Her voice was as soft as a feather brushing past, carrying a hint of ambiguity that made Xu Xintong hold her breath.
Hastily letting go, Xu Xintong lowered her head in embarrassment.
“Crap! I forgot to let go, I’ve been holding it the whole time!”
Xu Xintong regretted it, berating herself for acting so impulsively.
She had completely forgotten she was still holding Nong Wanshi’s hand.
“Does she think I did it on purpose and wouldn’t let go? Will she think I’m a pervert?”
Xu Xintong muttered under her breath, her head sinking almost to her chest.
She was an Alpha now; she ought to keep her distance from omegas.
“Last time, you peeking at me, that already made you a pervert, oh.”
Her voice rose slightly, carrying a touch of playfulness and teasing, as if lightly tickling the edge of an ear.
Her tone was lazy and slow, casual yet carrying an elusive, lingering tease.
“Ah!?”
“Isn’t that right?”
“Hmm?”
Xu Xintong was about to explode, executed on the spot.
Even though her voice had been so quiet, she still got caught.
She had thought Nong Wanshi had forgotten all about that incident.
“Ah, about last time…”
“I’m really sorry!”
“I wasn’t trying to do that.”
“Really, I’m not lying to you.”
A smooth apology, yet Xu Xintong didn’t dare look straight into Nong Wanshi’s eyes at all.
Like a child caught making a mistake, she didn’t know what to do.
At that moment, Nong Wanshi’s eyes still carried a teasing amusement; wrapping Xu Xintong around her finger was absolute child’s play.
But this time she had only acted on a whim. Hearing Xu Xintong muttering quietly made her want to tease this person.
Still, she seemed to have discovered something interesting.
Do all Alphas act like you?
Receiving no answer, Nong Wanshi shook her head.
Nong Wanshi didn’t say she minded it anymore, nor did she indicate she wanted to hold Xu Xintong accountable.
She simply walked alongside Ye Ruoxi, ignoring Xu Xintong, who was still nervous behind them.
Ye Ruoxi had just gotten briefly acquainted with Chen Linming a moment ago, only to discover that this person was actually her classmate Xu Xintong’s friend.
She looked very enthusiastic, yet also a bit foolish.
Talking with Ye Ruoxi, Chen Linming always stammered a little, unable to get her words out clearly.
A flush was obvious on her face; she seemed a bit nervous.
Chen Linming had already lost her footing around her goddess, especially after accidentally holding her goddess’s hand in the heat of the moment.
Ever since she saw Ye Ruoxi last time, she had regarded Ye Ruoxi as her goddess.
Finding out that her good friend was actually in the same class as the goddess made her ecstatic. Wasn’t this having a favorable location near the water?
What a heaven-sent match!
An excited Chen Linming hadn’t been able to sleep all night after learning she would go on the spring trip with her goddess.
What she didn’t know, however, was that she hadn’t managed to leave a very good impression on her goddess.
The four of them wandered left and right through the amusement park, trying out a few attractions.
The sun was blazing high and the weather was far too hot, leaving none of them with high spirits.
“Quick, quick, quick!”
“Let’s hurry up and get in line!”
“The haunted house here is super fun!”
Hearing someone nearby pulling their friend forward with extreme excitement, Chen Linming cast her gaze over.
“Oh, so many people.”
She looked at the long line ahead, where everyone looked completely impatient.
Chen Linming had always been daring and looked forward to these kinds of recreational activities.
However, there was someone beside her who didn’t look very enthusiastic about it.
Xu Xintong knew that Chen Linming loved thrills and fun, always dragging her into haunted houses and onto ski slopes.
Even though she wasn’t very willing herself, still, who asked Chen Linming to offer her too many perks every time? She just had to bite the bullet and go along.
Chen Linming’s attention was completely captured, her whole demeanor full of vigor.
Xu Xintong sighed, truly unwilling to ruin her fun.
“We should go too.”
Watching people file in one after another, Chen Linming wanted to hurry and get in line before the crowds grew even larger.
Before she could even make the suggestion, Xu Xintong had already gone to line up.
Without even turning her head, Chen Linming grabbed Ye Ruoxi and ran toward the front.
“You, what are you doing?”
Startled, Chen Linming felt like Xu Xintong’s voice sounded off.
Two pairs of eyes met in silence; Chen Linming hadn’t expected the person she was pulling behind her to be Ye Ruoxi.
The joy outweighed the awkwardness.
“Let’s play together.”
“If you don’t want to, then forget it. I’ll just go with someone else.”
Chen Linming figured she ought to ask if the other person wanted to play. If Ye Ruoxi was scared and didn’t want to go, she still couldn’t force her to tag along.
Searching the crowd for Xu Xintong’s figure, Chen Linming thought she’d just have to find her instead, only to realize Xu Xintong had already advanced near the front, with a few other people not far behind.
Nong Wanshi?
Why were the two of them together?
Clearly, she had been with Xu Xintong just moments ago, while Ye Ruoxi and Nong Wanshi had been together.
Still, she didn’t dwell on it too much, considering she had a great beauty right beside her after all.
Chen Linming still felt a bit let down. After she finished speaking, Ye Ruoxi didn’t say anything either, making it seem like she wasn’t very keen on playing.
Soon, they all went inside.
“You? Willing to play together?”
The voice suddenly pitched up, carrying obvious surprise and disbelief.
The tone was filled with excitement and thrill, the trailing end of the sentence lifting slightly, even trembling a bit.
“I actually want to play this too.”
Though she didn’t know how Nong Wanshi ended up following Xu Xintong, Ye Ruoxi had no right to interfere.
Being alongside the girl in front of her, Ye Ruoxi actually felt a bit of anticipation, though she didn’t know why.
The moment Xu Xintong stepped inside, her mind went blank. Why hadn’t Chen Linming stayed with her?
That wasn’t right; she had clearly messaged Chen Linming.
Unless Chen Linming hadn’t checked her messages at all.
Well, that was great. Could she turn back now?
That would be way too cowardly.
A soft laugh came from behind, completely unmasked.
Just as Xu Xintong wanted to turn her head, Nong Wanshi closed in.
“You, scared?”
The tone was light and airy, the ending drawn out with a trace of banter and mockery.
She was being underestimated.
Little did Xu Xintong know that everything she had just thought to herself had been heard by Nong Wanshi.
She hadn’t expected Nong Wanshi to play this too, nor had she expected to make a fool of herself in front of her once more.
Still, she maintained her composure, showing no panic on the surface.
“No, I’m super looking forward to this.”
Not looking forward to it at all!
Xu Xintong’s words didn’t match her heart, and Nong Wanshi saw right through her.
With no other choice, Xu Xintong lowered her head, groping her way forward while seeing absolutely nothing.
Nong Wanshi didn’t expose her either, simply following along slowly with the corners of her lips curving up into a hidden, casual smile.
Over on the other side, Chen Linming acted like an absolute tank, leading Ye Ruoxi through the stages as neither of them felt scared.
Ye Ruoxi looked at the girl in front of her, standing nearly 1.7 meters tall and much taller than herself.
Her personality matched her height, giving off a tall, reliable presence that gave Ye Ruoxi an even deeper understanding of her.
“Ah!”
“You scared me to death!”
“Why did they suddenly pull out something this terrifying?”
Xu Xintong’s sudden shriek startled even Nong Wanshi behind her.
Walking closer, it turned out to be nothing more than a dummy.
Nong Wanshi was left speechless.
This person’s courage truly wasn’t ordinary; it had taken them ages to walk just a tiny stretch, trembling every step of the way.
They hadn’t even reached the first checkpoint yet.
And the NPCs hadn’t even come out.
Nong Wanshi wondered how long this person would take to finish if she kept playing. She certainly didn’t want to waste time here.
She first quickened her pace to walk ahead of Xu Xintong, saying nothing as she walked slowly.
Was she waiting for herself?
Xu Xintong looked at Nong Wanshi, her thoughts drifting far away.
Not paying attention, she bumped right into Nong Wanshi’s back.
“Yibao, hurry up and catch up! We’re almost there!”
Diu Diu was rushing on behalf of the host, who clearly looked like she had a lot of courage.
“Coming, coming!”
Xu Xintong caught up, and Nong Wanshi naturally took her hand.
In a flash, Nong Wanshi caught sight of an unfamiliar scene once again.
Just like last time, it was still herself and Xu Xintong.
Why was that?
Lost in thought over what she had witnessed, Nong Wanshi didn’t pay too much attention to the path ahead.
The next second, she was pulled backward by a force, tumbling into a warm embrace.
“Sorry, sorry, something jumped out in front, I…”
Xu Xintong apologized in a rush. Hugging Nong Wanshi, she was genuinely terrified. What if the other person got mad?
Yet, worried that Nong Wanshi might have been frightened, she still desperately wanted to stay close to her.
Otherwise, if something else popped out later, she’d be scared right out of her wits.
“Thanks.”
Recovering her senses, Nong Wanshi finally noticed a blood-stained item hanging right above their heads.
By the end of the trip, Xu Xintong and Nong Wanshi were exhausted to the bone, while Chen Linming and Ye Ruoxi had the time of their lives.
The moment they stepped back out into the light, Xu Xintong felt like she was on the verge of collapse.
Next time, she definitely wouldn’t play casually anymore.